NCAA Taps St. Louis To Host Eight Championships

The NCAA's Division I Westling Championships will be held Mar. 19-21, 2015 at Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis

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The NCAA is bringing eight sports championships to the St. Louis area over the next five years. The collegiate athletic association announced a package of playoffs Wednesday that St. Louis will host between 2015 and 2018.

The St. Louis Sports Commission prepared the city’s successful bids. Vice President of Events Chris Roseman says NCAA athletes will be competing at numerous venues across the metro area.

“We’re not just downtown. We’re in Clayton as well and out in St. Charles," he said. “In Clayton, it’s going to be fantastic. We’re going to have the Women’s Bowling Championship at Tropicana Bowling Lanes in 2015 and 2018,” he said.

Lindenwood University in St. Charles will host the Women’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four in 2017. The events also include Women’s Gymnastics Championships at Chaifetz Arena in 2017 and 2018.

Roseman says the NCAA’s choice to hold three Division I and Division II wrestling championships over the next five years is also a big win for the city that has already hosted six in the last 13 years.

“Eight times since 2000 is just a wonderful for our city and our region,” he said. “We really embrace this championship and look forward to making it bigger and better when we bring it back here in 2015 and 2017.”

According to Roseman, a significant factor for St. Louis’ being chosen is recently approved amateur sports legislation in Missouri.

The NCAA is conducting a separate bidding process for post-season basketball events. Site selections for the Men’s Final Four and preliminary rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament won’t be announced until late 2014.

This weekend's NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis sold out for the first time in the event's 82-year history. The event is expected to break its all-time attendance record with over 110,000 fans in attendance.

This is the sixth year St. Louis has hosted the tournament. NCAA associate director of championships Jeff Jarnecke says St. Louis is a great place to host the event.